MACGILLIVRAY’S GROUND-WARBLER. 
75 
beneath, and brightish yellow-olive above. The nest was chiefly made of 
strips of the inner scaly bark of probably the white cedar, thuya occidenta- 
lism lined with slender wiry stalks of dry weeds, and concealed near the 
ground in the dead mossy limbs of a fallen oak, and further partly hidden 
by a long tuft of usnea. It was less artificial than the nest of the Yellow- 
throat, but of the same general appearance, and concealed in a similar 
situation, probably in a thicket near the ground. On returning the nest to 
the place it had been taken from, I had almost immediately the satisfaction 
of seeing the anxious parents come to feed their charge, and for some days 
they shewed great anxiety on being approached.” 
“ This,” says my friend Mr. Harris, “ is the Warbler that so closely 
resembles the S. Philadelphia. Mr. Townsend has brought in more 
specimens, which agree with the others in the very distinctive mark of the 
white eyelids, with dark spots from the base of the bill to the eyes, and also 
dark on the front at the root of the upper mandible. I cannot but think it 
entirely distinct.” 
This species, as has already been observed, is very intimately allied in 
form, proportions, colours, and habits with that described by Wilson under 
the name of “ Mourning Warbler, Sylvia Philadelphia .” His account of 
the latter is as follows : — “ The bird from which the figure in the plate was 
taken, was shot in the early part of June, on the border of a marsh, within a 
few miles of Philadelphia. It was flitting from one low bush to another, 
very busy in search of insects, and had a sprightly and pleasant warbling 
song, the novelty of which first attracted my attention. I have traversed 
the same and many such places, every spring and autumn since, in expecta- 
tion of again meeting with some individual of the species, but without suc- 
cess. I have, however, the satisfaction to say, that the drawing was done 
with the greatest attention to peculiarity of form, markings, and tint of 
plumage ; and the figure on the plate is a good resemblance to the original.” 
Macgillivray’s Warbler, Sylvia Macgillivrayi , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 75. 
Wings rather short, the second quill longest, the fourth longer than the 
first, the tail long, considerably rounded, its feathers rounded ; tarsus longer 
than the middle toe and claw. Male olive-green above ; the head, hind part, 
and sides of the neck bluish-grey ; the fore neck and part of the breast 
greyish-black, lunulated with greyish-white ; a black loral band ; a conspicu- 
ous white spot on each eyelid ; the lower parts bright yellow. Female olive- 
green above, yellow beneath, the sides of the neck and a band across the 
breast ash-grey. 
Male, 54, 63 . Female, 5, wing, 2 T 4 ^. 
Columbia river. Common. 
